I have no idea why it surprises everyone. Every time some technology goes through the "hype cycle", or the sector as a whole goes through a "we're not in a bubble" bubble, inevitably, when the hype dies down or the bubble bursts, people suddenly "discover" business fundamentals. Often, it is not the people discussing it who discover it. Rather, they are the ones reminding everyone that the fundamentals count.

In earlier articles, especially here, we have discussed why great product management is crucial to a company's success. It is the role that is responsible for a product as a whole, the only one that aligns what the product should do, what features it has, where to offer it, at what price points for which packages. Yet many companies seem to do just fine for an extended period of time without product management, especially in the technology sector.

I often notice the incredible value of great product management. Unfortunately, it is something many experienced people do not get, simply because it is the one area of a business, and especially a startup, that cuts across the company. Every other group has a clear line of responsibility: Engineering builds the product. Marketing defines who will buy it and drives awareness. Sales sells it. Customer support supports it. Finance manages the cash, P&L and balance sheet.